New Year
by badly-knitted
Summary: It's the start of a new year and Ryo is down in the dumps. Dee is determined to find out why. Written for fic promptly. set towards the end of the manga.


**Title:** New Year

**Author:** badly-knitted

**Characters:** Dee, Ryo.

**Rating:** PG

**Setting: **Towards the end of the manga.

**Summary:** It's the start of a new year and Ryo is down in the dumps. Dee is determined to find out why.

**Word Count:** 757

**Written For:** My own prompt 'FAKE, Dee & Ryo, Dee resolves never to give up in his pursuit of Ryo,' at fic_promptly.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

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The ball dropped and everybody cheered. Across the city people were shouting "Happy New Year!" at the tops of their voices and in Times Square you couldn't move without tripping over kissing couples. Dee and Ryo saw it all on the small TV in the break room; one of the downsides of being a cop was that when everyone else was busy celebrating, chances were they'd be working, keeping the peace and attempting to keep the crime rate down. On the plus side, the break room was a whole lot warmer and drier than Times Square right now, although the rain didn't seem to be dampening celebratory spirits any.

"Whelp," Dee said, lacing his fingers together and stretching his arms above his head until Ryo could hear vertebrae pop, "that's it! The old year's dead and gone, and there's a whole new one stretched out ahead of us, filled with infinite possibilities!"

"Or filled with more of the same; crimes to be solved, criminals to be apprehended, long hours, late nights, and not enough sleep." Ryo knocked back the last of his coffee, grimacing at the bitterness of the dregs. "Not to mention lousy coffee."

"Hark at Mister Glass Half Empty! New Year's supposed to be a time of celebration and optimism, not doom and gloom. Wanna talk about it?"

"About what?"

"I don't know; whatever's gettin' ya down I guess."

"It's nothing."

"If that were true you wouldn't be lookin' all mopey. C'mon, bud; whatever it is you can talk to me. We're partners; I've got your back no matter what, and any other part of ya you'd care to share. I'm easy."

"So I've heard." Ryo sighed heavily. "It's really nothing you need to worry about, Dee. It's just, New Year always makes me feel like a failure." Ryo slumped down on the sofa cushions.

Flicking off the TV, Dee perched on the arm of the sofa, giving his partner his full attention. "How so?"

"It's stupid."

"Probably, but I wanna hear it anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryo frowned up at the other detective.

"It means you usually worry and stress yourself about things that aren't that big a deal."

"Oh, thanks! And you expect me to tell you my problems after that vote of no confidence?"

"Damn straight! Then I can tell you you're bein' a dumbass and you can stop with the mopin'. It's called providin' another perspective."

Ryo snorted. "Taking psych classes, are you? Fine, you want to know why I feel like a failure? Because every year I make New Year resolutions, and when the next New Year comes around I realise I haven't kept any of them. Every year new resolutions, and every year a hundred percent failure. No matter what resolutions I make, the end result is always the same; I fail. Stupid, right?"

"Yep!"

"Gee, thanks a bunch, Dee. Way to make a guy feel better!"

"There's one very simple solution to your problem you seem to be overlookin'. You're makin' the wrong resolutions. Make the right one and I guarantee you won't have a problem stickin' to it."

"And what might the right resolution be? Enlighten me, oh wise one." Ryo's sceptical expression said it all.

Dee merely shrugged. "Simple. Resolve never to make any more New Year resolutions."

Ryo looked up at Dee, surprise written all over his face, then he burst out laughing. "I never thought of that!"

"And my work here is done." Dee smiled smugly.

"So, is that what you do? Resolve not to make resolutions?"

"Yeah, mostly, and it works like a charm. I do have one resolution I've been keepin' lately though."

"Care to share?"

"I resolve," Dee looked solemnly down at his partner, "never to give up my pursuit of you!" and with those words, Dee pounced, getting Ryo in a lip lock before he could make any move to defend himself. Pulling away after a couple of very enjoyable minutes, he grinned at Ryo. "Happy New Year, babe."

"Don't call me that! And get off me before someone sees!"

Dee did as he was told for once, getting to his feet and making himself presentable. "We should probably get back to work anyhow."

"Yes, we should. There's a pile of paperwork waiting."

Following his partner back towards the squad room, Dee couldn't keep from smiling. A whole brand new year lay ahead. Maybe this would be the year he won his man, but even if it wasn't he'd meant what he'd said; he was never giving up.

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The End


End file.
